XL 2.2" Fossil Pine Cone Equicalastrobus Replaced By Agate Eocene Age Seeds Fruit
Location: Talsine, Morocco
Weight: 0.7 Ounces
Dimensions: 2.2 Inches Long, 0.7 Inches Wide
The item pictured is the one you will receive.
Equicalastrobus petrified pine cones are fossilized conifer seed cones primarily found in the Western Sahara of Morocco, particularly near Talsine and west of Boujdour. These fossils date back to the Eocene epoch, approximately 33 to 55 million years ago.
The preservation of Equicalastrobus pine cones occurs through a process called permineralization, where the original organic material of the wood is replaced by minerals, most commonly agate or silica, resulting in an agatized fossil. This process allows for remarkable detail and preservation of the cone's structure. The presence of these cones in large numbers suggests that the ancient Moroccan landscape was a coniferous jungle during the Eocene period. Evidence of insect damage is frequently observed on these fossils, indicating ancient ecological interactions. While the cones belong to the conifer family, the specific species of the tree that produced Equicalastrobus has yet to be definitively identified. These cones, like modern pine cones, contained individual seeds and played a role in the spread of coniferous trees, and as a food source for ancient animals.
